The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
In recent years, there has been a continual increase in the use of electrical equipment in various industries, and the need for connecting various components of the equipment or systems containing disparate electrical components. By way of example, both lawn sprinkler systems and landscape lighting systems include a plurality of electrical components that must be electrically connected.
In these situations, it is common practice to electrically connect wires by means of an electrical connector. Some connectors require that the wires to be connected be stripped of their insulated covering to expose the electrical conductor prior to insertion of the wire into the connector. However, in practice it is very desirable to connect wires without first having to remove the insulation on the wire. To address this, connectors have been designed that include one or more electrically conductive pins for penetrating the insulation and contacting the conductor. Often, the most common low voltage connectors are hard-wired to a low voltage light or other device that is then tapped into the main low voltage line.
In practice, a pin is incorporated into each of two mating parts that are coupled together to tap the conductors of the electrical wire placed between the two mating parts. The two mating parts may include engaging members such as arms with barbs that must be squeezed or urged together with a tool such as a pair of pliers. However, the pins are often bent or only make partial or poor electrical contact with the electrical conductor within the wire. Additionally, these types of connectors do not provide any form of protection for the point of electrical contact and therefore are susceptible to the impacts of the operating environment, including, for example, stress, strain, and corrosion.
These electrical connectors are often placed in an operating environment that is hazardous or that can include hazardous elements or situations. Water or moisture infiltration into the electrical connectors can cause electrical shorting, rust buildup, a deterioration of the electrical connection, the generation of heat or hot spots, and can result in ruined electrical equipment. Keeping the outdoor electrical connections watertight is difficult and is usually only minimally provided for by the electrical connectors.